The Triana District unveils a ceramic sign commemorating the 'Escalerilla de Tagua', a staircase built in the 19th century by contractor Baldomero Tagua Coronil. This is the second tile in the neighbourhood and the 23rd in the municipal project to recover the historical street names.
The City Council of Seville has installed a new ceramic sign in the Triana neighbourhood, this time to recover the historical name of the 'Escalerilla de Tagua'. The tile, inaugurated this Wednesday by the district delegate Manuel Alés, is located at the staircase connecting the Triana Bridge with Calle Betis.
The staircase was built in the 19th century by contractor Baldomero Tagua Coronil, whose surname became popularly associated with the access. Before its construction, the passage from Calle Betis to the bridge was made via a ramp used by horses and carts.
During the inauguration ceremony, Manuel Alés highlighted that "each tile we place in the streets of Seville is an exercise in historical memory that allows us Sevillians to learn about the past and history of our city." The delegate emphasized that "Triana is a neighbourhood with its own identity and history that deserve to be preserved and shared with new generations."
Descendants of contractor Tagua attended the event, expressing their gratitude for the municipal initiative. The new sign adds to the one already existing on Calle Pagés del Corro, with the inscription 'Antigua Cava de los Gitanos', which was the first placed in Triana.
A project that recovers the street names of 1771
This tile is part of a broader project promoted by the City Council in collaboration with the Association Amigos de la Cerámica Niculoso Pisano. The aim is to recover the historical names found in the Olavide street directory of 1771, a document that lists the original names of the streets in Seville's Historic Centre.
With the 'Escalerilla de Tagua', there are now 23 ceramic tiles inaugurated since July 2024, all bearing the inscription “Antigua calle de…”. Among them are those for Mar, Bayona, Tiendas, Callejón de los Pobres, Sardinas, Tundidores, Cantarranas, La Mosca, Corral del Agua, del Burro, Gradas, Pescado, Aceite, Tintores, Venera, San Acacio, Real, Arquillo de Atocha, Vinatería, calle del Ángel, and Toqueros.
Each of these tiles has been placed in its original location or as close as possible, following the aesthetics of traditional Sevillian ceramics. The initiative aims not only to beautify the urban space but also to serve as an educational tool for residents and visitors.
The City Council plans to continue installing new signs in the coming months, expanding the network of historical memory points across various neighbourhoods in the city. The selection of the next streets is based on available historical documentation and proposals from community and cultural associations.
For the residents of Triana, such actions strengthen their connection to the past and highlight the intangible heritage of the neighbourhood. The staircase, which has been a common passage for those crossing the bridge for decades, thus recovers its original name and the story of its builder.
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